Number of Participants: 1
Hours Donated: 50
Value of Time Served: $423
Event Amount Raised: $2,500
Event Type: Health & Medicine
Activity: Track and Field
Date: April 30, 2025
Location:
Duxbury High School
Alden Street, Duxbury
MA
About:
For most high school students, balancing academics, extracurriculars, and athletics is a challenge in itself. For Duxbury junior Harper Weekly, it was also the backdrop for something much bigger: training for and completing a full marathon, all while raising over $2,500 for the Rare Cancer Research Foundation (RCRF).
Every morning from December to mid-April, Harper updated the countdown on the chalkboard in her room, each day bringing her one step closer to the Newport Marathon. On April 19, she crossed the finish line with a time of 4 hours and 36 minutes, the fastest among all girls age 16 and under in a field of more than 1,200 runners.
But for Harper, the race was more than a personal milestone, it was a tribute. Her father, Chris, is an 11-year survivor of a rare cancer, and Harper dedicated her run to him and to the memory of three grandparents lost to the disease.
“It’s been something in my family that I wanted to make a difference for,” Harper shared. Her fundraising efforts through GoFundMe not only supported vital research but also brought her community together around a deeply personal cause.
Harper’s journey required grit, discipline, and sacrifice. As a cross-country and track captain, DECA member, and Model UN delegate, her schedule was packed. She even ran eight miles on a treadmill after landing from a Model UN trip. With the guidance of her coaches, Ron Glennon and Kathy Earle, and inspiration from former teammate Erin Quinn, Harper mapped out a rigorous training plan—running four to five times a week, cross-training, and completing long weekend runs.
Even the flu, which hit just nine days before the marathon, couldn’t derail her. By race day, Harper felt strong and ready. “The day of the race felt more like a reward,” she said. “It’s such an overwhelming feeling of joy that you have.”
The scenic course through Newport—with its ocean views and daffodil-lined streets, added to the experience. Harper focused not on her pace, but on the purpose behind every step. “I was really just glad to be able to cross the finish line,” she said. “It was a great experience.”
To support Harper’s fundraiser for the Rare Cancer Research Foundation, visit:
GoFundMe: Help Me Support the Rare Cancer Research Foundation